diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/data/ManagerCaller.as b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/data/ManagerCaller.as
index 2d0985fc2..f87a65359 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/data/ManagerCaller.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/crowd/data/ManagerCaller.as
@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 
 package com.threerings.crowd.data {
 
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.ServerMessageEvent;
+
 public class ManagerCaller
 {
     public function ManagerCaller (plobj :PlaceObject)
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ public class ManagerCaller
      */
     public function invoke (method :String, ... args) :void
     {
-        _plobj.postMessage(method, args);
+        _plobj.postEvent(new ServerMessageEvent(_plobj.getOid(), method, args));
     }
 
     /** The place object we're thingy-ing for. */
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/presents/dobj/ServerMessageEvent.as b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/dobj/ServerMessageEvent.as
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..33b5eea1d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/presents/dobj/ServerMessageEvent.as
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+//
+// $Id$
+//
+// Narya library - tools for developing networked games
+// Copyright (C) 2002-2007 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
+// http://www.threerings.net/code/narya/
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.threerings.presents.dobj {
+
+/**
+ * A message event that only goes to the server. If generated on the server then it never leaves
+ * the server.
+ */
+public class ServerMessageEvent extends MessageEvent
+{
+    /**
+     * Constructs a new message event on the specified target object with
+     * the supplied name and arguments.
+     *
+     * @param targetOid the object id of the object whose attribute has
+     * changed.
+     * @param name the name of the message event.
+     * @param args the arguments for this message. This array should
+     * contain only values of valid distributed object types.
+     */
+    public function ServerMessageEvent (
+            targetOid :int = 0, name :String = null, args :Array = null)
+    {
+        super(targetOid, name, args);
+    }
+
+// Note: isPrivate() is currently not implemented in actionscript, since
+// it's a server-only attribute. Rest assured that this event will still
+// only be server-only, as it will unserialize into a Java ServerMessageEvent
+// on the server and then be properly private.
+//    override public function isPrivate () :Boolean
+//    {
+//        // this is what makes us server-only
+//        return true;
+//    }
+}
+}
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/data/PlaceObject.java b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/data/PlaceObject.java
index 9f36c4f1f..47d9d165f 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/data/PlaceObject.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/crowd/data/PlaceObject.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import com.threerings.util.Name;
 import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DObject;
 import com.threerings.presents.dobj.DSet;
 import com.threerings.presents.dobj.OidList;
+import com.threerings.presents.dobj.ServerMessageEvent;
 
 import com.threerings.crowd.Log;
 import com.threerings.crowd.chat.data.SpeakMarshaller;
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ public class PlaceObject extends DObject
     public class ManagerCaller
     {
         public void invoke (String method, Object ... args) {
-            postMessage(method, args);
+            postEvent(new ServerMessageEvent(_oid, method, args));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/ServerMessageEvent.java b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/ServerMessageEvent.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ee18cd5e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/presents/dobj/ServerMessageEvent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+//
+// $Id$
+//
+// Narya library - tools for developing networked games
+// Copyright (C) 2002-2007 Three Rings Design, Inc., All Rights Reserved
+// http://www.threerings.net/code/narya/
+//
+// This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+// under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published
+// by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2.1 of the License, or
+// (at your option) any later version.
+//
+// This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+// Lesser General Public License for more details.
+//
+// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+// License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+// Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
+
+package com.threerings.presents.dobj;
+
+import com.samskivert.util.StringUtil;
+
+/**
+ * A message event that only goes to the server. If generated on the server then it never leaves
+ * the server.
+ */
+public class ServerMessageEvent extends MessageEvent
+{
+    /**
+     * Constructs a new message event on the specified target object with
+     * the supplied name and arguments.
+     *
+     * @param targetOid the object id of the object whose attribute has
+     * changed.
+     * @param name the name of the message event.
+     * @param args the arguments for this message. This array should
+     * contain only values of valid distributed object types.
+     */
+    public ServerMessageEvent (int targetOid, String name, Object[] args)
+    {
+        super(targetOid, name, args);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Suitable for unserialization.
+     */
+    public ServerMessageEvent ()
+    {
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isPrivate ()
+    {
+        // this is what makes us server-only
+        return true;
+    }
+}